Top Industrial Disributor Companies To Own For 2014

Technically, Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT  ) stock is trading at half of its 52-week high.

But only technically.

Abbott Laboratories stock hit a high in October of last year of 72.47, but when the new year hit, the company split in two, spinning its drug assets into AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV  ) . Investors that continued to hold AbbVie stock and Abbott Laboratories stock are looking at a combined value above $80 per share.

Much better.

Off the drugs�
Without its drug division, first-quarter earnings required a little juggling to compare apples to apples. Diluted earnings per common share from continuing operations, excluding specified items -- wow, that's a mouthful -- increased 5% compared to the same metric as the year-ago quarter. Basically, the company is pretending like it didn't own AbbVie and then backing out special items from both quarters.

The nutrition business helped drive sales up 3.5% at constant currency. Sales of baby formula and the like were up 9% at constant currencies. Diagnostics were up 6.4% year over year, ignoring currency changes.

Hot Internet Companies To Invest In 2015: Alumina Ltd (AWC)

Alumina Limited, through its 40% equity interest in Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals, engages in the bauxite mining, alumina refining, and aluminum smelting businesses. It has interests in eight alumina refineries and eight bauxite mines, as well as operates two aluminum smelters in Victoria, Australia. The company also owns interests in a network of mines, refineries, and smelters in the United States, Guinea, Suriname, Jamaica, Brazil, and Spain. In addition, it owns and operates a shipping operation that transports alumina, aluminum, and raw materials worldwide. The company, formerly known as WMC Limited, was founded in 1970 and is based in Southbank, Australia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Krauth]

  Prospects are strong, as AA continues to push productivity gains and further penetrate sectors like aerospace and automotive. As automobiles look to improve fuel consumption, the average U.S. car will likely go from about 14 lbs. to 55 lbs. of aluminum in just the next three years. Alcoa CEO Klaus Kleinfeld thinks cars will contain 135 lbs. of aluminum within twelve years.

  The Even Better-Looking Sister Is... Another way to play aluminum might be through Alumina Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE: AWC).

  Alumina owns 40% of the world's largest alumina business, Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals (AWAC), with Alcoa owning and managing the other 60%.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shares of Alcoa have dropped 3.3% to $7.90 today at 9:30 a.m. The downgrade has also hit other aluminum producers this morning. Alumina (AWC) has fallen 1.1% to $3.73, Kaiser Aluminum (KALU) has declined 0.7% to $71.17, and BHP Billiton (BHP), of which aluminum is but a small piece, is off 0.3% at $66.22.

• [By Tim Melvin]

  One such company is Alumina Limited (NYSE ADR: AWC), an Australian aluminum company.

  Alumina, which mines and refines aluminum, operates eight refineries and two aluminum smelters and owns or has interest in seven mining operations. It has a shipping operation that transports aluminum-related raw materials.

Top Industrial Disributor Companies To Own For 2014: Wolverine World Wide Inc.(WWW)

Wolverine World Wide, Inc. designs, manufactures, sources, markets, licenses, and distributes branded footwear, apparel, and accessories. It offers industrial work shoes, boots, uniform shoes, outdoor sports footwear, rugged casual footwear, lifestyle footwear, sandals, and closed-toe products. It also provides outdoor apparel, and work and rugged casual apparel; and accessories, such as packs, bags, and luggage, as well as eyewear, gloves, handbags, socks, watches, and plush toys. The company offers its products under various brand names, including Bates, Cat Footwear, Chaco, Cushe, Harley-Davidson Footwear, Hush Puppies, HyTest, Merrell, Patagonia Footwear, Sebago, Soft Style, and Wolverine. It sells its products to a range of retail customers, which comprise department stores, national chains, catalogs, specialty retailers, mass merchants, Internet retailers, governments, and municipalities in the United States, Canada, and Europe. The company also markets its products in approximately 190 countries and territories through company-owned wholesale operations, licensees, and distributors. It also licenses its brands for use on non-footwear products. As of December 31, 2011, the company operated 101 retail stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom; and operated 42 consumer-direct Websites. Further, it markets pigskin leather, and purchases raw pigskins from other source. Wolverine World Wide, Inc. was founded in 1883 and is based in Rockford, Michigan.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shares of Deckers Outdoor have dropped 13% to $73.90, while Crocs (CROX) has gained 0.8% to $15.24, Steve Madden (SHOO) has dropped 0.1% to $36.52, Wolverine World Wide (WWW) has fallen 1.2% to $126.36 and Skechers (SKX) has fallen 1.6% to $33.82.

• [By Chuck Carnevale]

  Wolverine World Wide (WWW): A Faster Growing Global Marketer of Footwear

  Our third example, Wolverine World Wide, moves farther up the growth chain with earnings averaging 9.4% per annum. Nevertheless, we once again see the strong relationship and close correlation between stock price and earnings over the long run. Perhaps due to the faster earnings growth rate, we do see several periods where the company�� price earnings ratio has deviated significantly above the 15 standard, indicating overvaluation. Nevertheless, just as we saw with our first two examples, stock price inevitably and soon moves back into alignment with earnings.

• [By Isaac Pino, CPA]

  Sustainable, exactly, long term. Let's start with wealth and the importance of walkability in creating strong economies -- and strong companies, for that matter. One of the things that you point out is a company called Wolverine Worldwide� (NYSE: WWW  ) , I think based in Grand Rapids, Mich.?

Top Industrial Disributor Companies To Own For 2014: RRSat Global Communications Network Ltd.(RRST)

RRsat Global Communications Network Ltd. provides content management and distribution services to television and radio broadcasting industries. The company, through its proprietary ?RRsat Global Network? comprising satellite and terrestrial fiber optic transmission capacity and the public Internet, offers distribution services for content providers. Its content distribution services consist of worldwide transmission of video and audio broadcasts. The company also offers content management services, including digital archiving and compilation of customer?s programming and advertising content into various broadcast channels. In addition, RRsat Global Communications Network Ltd. provides various production services on a contractual basis and satellite newsgathering services through its fleet of vans for outside broadcasting and electronic news gathering crews and packages. Further, it offers live broadcast studios and editing facilities to its customers. The company?s RRs at Global Network delivers content to various end markets, including cable operators, satellite operators, Internet protocol television operators, direct to home market, and public Internet. Additionally, RRSat Global Communications Network provides mobile satellite telecommunications services, such as global telephony, fax, data, Internet, and other value added services for shipping, aviation, construction, and oil companies; humanitarian aid organizations; governmental agencies; and other end customers that require telephony and Internet services in remote areas. As of December 31, 2009, it provided services to approximately 545 television and radio channels in approximately 150 countries. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in D.N. Shikmim, Israel.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Leading and Lagging Sectors
  In trading on Thursday, telecommunications services shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 0.83 percent. Top gainers in the sector included Internet Initiative Japan (NASDAQ: IIJI), with shares up 9.5 percent, and RRSat Global Communications Network (NASDAQ: RRST), with shares up 4.9 percent.

• [By Garrett Cook]

  In trading on Friday, telecommunications services shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 0.88 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included RRSat Global Communications Network (NASDAQ: RRST), up 3.4 percent, and China Mobile (NYSE: CHL), up 2.3 percent.

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Telecommunications services shares fell by 0.74 percent in Wednesday’s trading. Meanwhile, top decliners in the sector included RRSat Global Communications Network (NASDAQ: RRST), down 5.9 percent, and China Unicom (Hong Kong) (NYSE: CHU), off 4.6 percent.

Top Industrial Disributor Companies To Own For 2014: Chiquita Brands International Inc. (CQB)

Chiquita Brands International, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the distribution and marketing of bananas and fresh produce under the Chiquita and other brand names worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Bananas, Salads and Healthy Snacks, and Other Produce. The Banana segment sources, transports, markets, and distributes bananas to retailers and wholesalers, and chain stores. It also engages in the cultivation and production of bananas. The Salads and Healthy Snacks segment offers value-added salads under the Fresh Express and other labels; and fresh vegetable and fruit ingredients used in foodservice, healthy snacks, and processed fruit ingredient products. This segment also provides fresh-cut products, such as lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, cabbage, and onions to foodservice distributors who resell these products to foodservice operators. It distributes Fresh Express branded products to food retailers, foodservice distributors, and quick-service restaurants; and fresh produce foodservice offerings primarily to third-party distributors for resale principally to quick-service restaurants in the United States. The Other Produce segment engages in sourcing, marketing, and distributing fresh fruits and vegetables other than bananas in Europe and North America. It offers grapes, pineapples, melons, kiwis, tomatoes, and avocados. The company was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Anders Bylund]

  That's why Chiquita Brands International (NYSE: CQB  ) wants to move to Ireland. The fruits and vegetables distributor currently labors under a 41% effective tax rate, so it could use the Emerald Isle's lower base tax.

• [By Jayson Derrick]

  Last night the board of directors of Chiquita Brands International (NYSE: CQB) rejected Cutrale and Safra's Groups acquisition offer of $13 per share and noted that it plans to proceed with a merger of Fyffes. Shares of Chiquita Brands hit new 52-week highs of $13.77 before closing the day at $13.63, up 0.89 percent.

Top Industrial Disributor Companies To Own For 2014: Enanta Pharmaceuticals Inc (ENTA)

Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc., incorporated on July 25, 1995, is a research and development-focused biotechnology company. The Company uses its chemistry-driven approach and drug discovery capabilities to create small molecule drugs in the infectious disease field. The Company is discovering and developing novel inhibitors designed for use against the hepatitis C virus (HCV). These inhibitors include members of the direct acting antiviral (DAA) inhibitor classes-protease (partnered with AbbVie, the former research-based pharmaceutical business of Abbott Laboratories), NS5A (partnered with Novartis) and nucleotide polymerase, as well as a host targeted antiviral (HTA) inhibitor class targeted against cyclophilin. ABT-450, discovered through its collaboration with AbbVie, is a protease inhibitor that has demonstrated in vitro potency against known resistant HCV mutants.

In Phase I studies, ABT-450 co-administered with ritonavir, a commonly used boosting agent to increase the blood concentrations of many protease inhibitors, was shown to be safe and well tolerated. Co-administration of ABT-450 with ritonavir, which it refers to together as ABT-450/r, has enabled once-daily dosing of ABT-450. Phase II studies have demonstrated the efficacy of ABT-450/r in patients with chronic HCV, and other interferon-free Phase II studies of ABT-450-containing regimens continue. AbbVie is developing a next-generation protease inhibitor discovered within the Enanta-AbbVie collaboration. EDP-239 is the NS5A inhibitor discovered by the Company. The Company also has a program to develop nucleotide inhibitors to HCV NS5B polymerase, which is another DAA mechanism considered to have a barrier to resistance. The Company�� Bicyclolide antibiotic product candidate is EDP-788, which it is developing for use as an intravenous drug in the hospital setting and for oral dosing in the home setting. EDP-788 is a prodrug, which means that it is inactive until it is converted in the body into an active compound. EDP-788 is! a water-soluble molecule which, when administered in preclinical models, is cleanly and rapidly converted into the active compound.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  The next big thing in treating hepatitis-C
  The other currently experimental therapy very likely to make it onto the FDA's desk before the midpoint of 2014 is AbbVie's (NYSE: ABBV  ) direct-acting antiviral combo drug. In similar fashion to Sovaldi, this DAA-combo therapy, which includes ABT-450 from Enanta Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ENTA  ) , is running six confirmatory late-stage trials on various genotypes. There are, however, two primary differences between AbbVie's DAA-combo therapy and Sovaldi.

• [By George Budwell]

  Normally, such strong efficacy results would be hailed as a major achievement. However, these results are actually less impressive than those by competing drug's developed by AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV  ) , Enanta Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ENTA  ) and Gilead. Bristol-Myers' therapy also has a treatment duration double that of Gilead's drug Sovaldi for genotype 1 patients. So, while these results are impressive in their own right, the therapy's commercial prospects may be limited due to the presence of superior competitors in the market.�

• [By James Fink]

  And lastly I'll go into healthcare, which is kind of a growth cyclical type name. It's partially defensive, partially growth. I think the more growth-oriented section of healthcare would be biotech, and right now, a very promising biotech stock is Enanta Pharmaceuticals. That's a NASDAQ stock; ticker symbol (ENTA).

Top Industrial Disributor Companies To Own For 2014: GasLog Ltd (GLOG)

GasLog Ltd. (GasLog), incorporated on July 16, 2003, is an owner, operator and manager of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers. The Company is a holding company. Its subsidiaries conduct all of its operations and own all of its operating assets, including its ships. The Company operates in two segments: vessel ownership and vessel management. In the vessel ownership segment, the services provided primarily consist of chartering out company-owned LNG carriers, and in the vessel management segment the services provided consist of LNG carrier technical management services, as well as LNG carrier construction supervision services and other vessel management services provided to the Company�� vessel ownership segment and to external third parties.

In February 2011, GasLog Carriers Ltd. established two vessel-owning companies, GAS-five Ltd. and GAS-six Ltd. In March 2011, GasLog Carriers Ltd. established two vessel-owning companies, GAS-seven Ltd. and GAS-eight Ltd. In June 2011, GasLog Carriers Ltd. established two additional vessel-owning companies, GAS-nine Ltd. and GAS-ten Ltd. In June 2011, Ceres Shipping Ltd. (Ceres Shipping) transferred its interest in GasLog Ltd. to Blenheim Holdings Ltd. (Blenheim Holdings). In June 2011, an entity jointly owned by the Livanos and Radziwill families (Joint Venture Partner) sold its 49% interest in GAS-three Ltd., GAS-four Ltd., GAS-five Ltd. and GAS-six Ltd. to Ceres Shipping. Ceres Shipping contributed the 49% interest in GAS-three Ltd., GAS-four Ltd., GAS-five Ltd. and GAS-six Ltd. to Blenheim Holdings, who in turn contributed the 49% interest in these four vessel-owning companies to GasLog Ltd., which contributed the same to GasLog Carriers Ltd. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned 100% interest in GAS-three Ltd., GAS-four Ltd., GAS-five Ltd. and GAS-six Ltd. On July 11, 2011 and September 5, 2011, the Company transferred its interest of two dormant subsidiaries, GasLog Holdings Limited and GasLog Services Limited, respectively, to Ceres Shi! pping.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� owned fleet consisted of 10 wholly owned LNG carriers. As of December 31, 2011, the Company managed and operated 14 LNG carriers, which included its owned ships, as well as 11 ships owned or leased by BG Group plc (BG Group), a participant in the worldwide energy and natural gas markets, and one additional LNG carrier in which it had a 25% interest. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned a 25% interest in Egypt LNG Shipping Ltd. (Egypt LNG), whose principal asset is the LNG carrier Methane Nile Eagle. The Company�� owned fleet includes the GasLog Savannah, the GasLog Singapore, four LNG carriers on order at Samsung Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (Samsung Heavy Industries) in South Korea, two LNG carriers on order at Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea, and two LNG carriers on order at Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea.

The Company�� wholly owned subsidiary, GasLog LNG Services Ltd., (GasLog LNG Services) handles the technical management of its fleet. Through GasLog LNG Services, it provides technical ship management services for 12 LNG carriers owned by third parties in addition to management of the two LNG carriers operating in its owned fleet. The Company provides the services of its owned ships under time charters. The Company�� subsidiaries include GasLog Investments Ltd., GasLog Monaco S.A.M., Ceres LNG Employee Incentive Scheme Ltd., GasLog Carriers Ltd., GAS-one Ltd., GAS-two Ltd., GAS-three Ltd., GAS-four Ltd., GasLog Shipping Company Ltd., GasLog Shipping Limited and Egypt LNG Shipping Ltd.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Rapier]

  GasLog�(NYSE: GLOG) owns, operates, and manages a fleet of LNG carriers. Two ships were delivered in 2010, five in 2013 and eight LNG carriers are on order. In January the company announced the intention to spin off assets into an MLP that would own certain of GLOG�� LNG carriers with multi-year charters.

• [By Robert Rapier]

  GasLog (NYSE: GLOG) owns 15 LNG carriers, with eight ships on the water and seven more to be delivered by 2016. The company is one that we have liked and recommended, and it performed well in 2013, up 33 percent for the year. It has long been thought that the company might drop down assets into an MLP, but last week’s news that this will indeed be the case helped propel the stock up nearly 20 percent for the week.

Top Industrial Disributor Companies To Own For 2014: Centene Corporation (CNC)

Centene Corporation provides multi-line healthcare programs and services in the United States. It operates in two segments, Medicaid Managed Care and Specialty Services. The Medicaid Managed Care segment provides Medicaid and Medicaid-related health plan coverage to individuals through government subsidized programs, including Medicaid, the State children�s health insurance program, long-term care, foster care, and Medicare special needs plans, as well as aged, blind, or disabled programs. Its health plans provide primary and specialty physician care, inpatient and outpatient hospital care, transportation assistance, emergency and urgent care, vision care, prenatal care, dental care, laboratory and x-ray services, immunizations, prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs, home health and durable medical equipment, behavioral health and substance abuse services, therapies, social work services, care coordination, and 24-hour nurse advice line. The Specialty Services segment manages behavioral healthcare for members; provides health insurance to individual customers and their families; implements life and health management programs; offers long-term care services to the elderly and people with disabilities; and administers routine and medical surgical eye care benefits through its network of eye care providers. It also offers telehealth services; and claims processing, pharmacy network management, benefit design consultation, drug utilization review, formulary and rebate management, specialty and mail order pharmacy services, and patient and physician intervention services, as well as provides care management solutions that automate the clinical, administrative, and technical components of care management programs. The company offers its services through primary and specialty care physicians, hospitals, and ancillary providers. Centene Corporation was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Omar Venerio]

  The company has a current ROE of 10.94% which is higher than the industry median and the ones exhibit by Universal American Corp. (UAM), Centene (CNC) and WellPoint (WLP). In general, analysts consider ROE ratios in the 15-20% range as representing attractive levels for investment. So for investors looking those levels or more, Cigna (CI) could be the option. It is very important to understand this metric before investing and it is important to look at the trend in ROE over time.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Centene (NYSE: CNC  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Breaking news

  Whirlpool (NYSE: WHR) reported a strong rise in its third-quarter earnings. For the year, Whirlpool lifted its earnings forecast to $9.90 to $10.10 per share, versus its July outlook of $9.50 to $10 per share. To read the full news, click here. Questcor Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: QCOR) announced today that it will commence a Phase 2 study to explore the efficacy and safety of H.P. Acthar庐 Gel (repository corticotropin injection) for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). To read the full news, click here. Centene (NYSE: CNC) reported a stronger-than-expected third-quarter profit. Centene's quarterly net earnings surged to $49.4 million, or $0.87 per share, up from $3.8 million, or $0.07 per share, in the year-ago period. To read the full news, click here. Dwolla and Alliance Data Systems (NYSE: ADS) today announced they have signed a new, multi-year agreement for Alliance Data's Retail Services business to provide a cardless private label credit product for the Dwolla payment network. To read the full news, click here.

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• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Centene Corp.(CNC) agreed to acquire a roughly 68% interest in U.S. Medical Management LLC, a provider of in-home health services, for $200 million in cash and stock as the Medicaid insurer continues to expand its stable of services. Centene also said it is forming a new health-care enterprise holding company that will connect it and other health solution providers.